Rhythmic motor activity evoked by NMDA in the spinal zebrafish larva

Using fluorescent indicators for in vivo quantification of spontaneous or evoked motor neuron presynaptic activity in transgenic zebrafish

In this protocol, we describe steps that utilize the optical clarity of the zebrafish larvae and the stereotyped motor neuron axon structure in the trunk to measure spontaneous or evoked motor neuron axon activity. This activity is detected with transgenic fluorescent indicators introduced into the larvae by zygotic injection. Fluorescent indicator intensity changes in the small neuromuscular junctions are quantified to measure the presynaptic calcium activity and consequent synaptic vesicle release. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Mandal et al. (2020).

Knockdown of a Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Ion Channel Impairs Locomotor Activity and Recovery From Hypoxia in Adult Drosophila melanogaster

Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) modulates the speed of recovery from anoxia in adult Drosophila and mediates hypoxia-related behaviors in larvae. Cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (CNG) and cGMP-activated protein kinase (PKG) are two cGMP downstream targets. PKG is involved in behavioral tolerance to hypoxia and anoxia in adults, however little is known about a role for CNG channels. We used a CNGL (CNG-like) mutant with reduced CNGL transcripts to investigate the contribution of CNGL to the hypoxia response. CNGL mutants had reduced locomotor activity under normoxia. A shorter distance travelled in a standard locomotor assay was due to a slower walking speed and more frequent stops. In control flies, hypoxia immediately reduced path length per minute. Flies took 30–40 min in normoxia for >90% recovery of path length per minute from 15 min hypoxia. CNGL mutants had impaired recovery from hypoxia; 40 min for ∼10% recovery of walking speed. The effects of CNGL mutation on locomotor activity and recovery from hypoxia were recapitulated by pan-neuronal CNGL knockdown. Genetic manipulation to increase cGMP in the CNGL mutants increased locomotor activity under normoxia and eliminated the impairment of recovery from hypoxia. We conclude that CNGL channels and cGMP signaling are involved in the control of locomotor activity and the hypoxic response of adult Drosophila.

Voltage imaging identifies spinal circuits that modulate locomotor adaptation in zebrafish

Motor systems must continuously adapt their output to maintain a desired trajectory. While the spinal circuits underlying rhythmic locomotion are well described, little is known about how the network modulates its output strength. A major challenge has been the difficulty of recording from spinal neurons during behavior. Here, we use voltage imaging to map the membrane potential of large populations of glutamatergic neurons throughout the spinal cord of the larval zebrafish during fictive swimming in a virtual environment. We characterized a previously undescribed subpopulation of tonic-spiking ventral V3 neurons whose spike rate correlated with swimming strength and bout length. Optogenetic activation of V3 neurons led to stronger swimming and longer bouts but did not affect tail beat frequency. Genetic ablation of V3 neurons led to reduced locomotor adaptation. The power of voltage imaging allowed us to identify V3 neurons as a critical driver of locomotor adaptation in zebrafish.

Evolutionary divergence of locomotion in two related vertebrate species

Locomotion exists in diverse forms in nature; however, little is known about how closely related species with similar neuronal circuitry can evolve different navigational strategies to explore their environments. Here, we investigate this question by comparing divergent swimming pattern in larval Danionella cerebrum (DC) and zebrafish (ZF). We show that DC displays long continuous swimming events when compared with the short burst-and-glide swimming in ZF. We reveal that mesencephalic locomotion maintenance neurons in the midbrain are sufficient to cause this increased swimming. Moreover, we propose that the availability of dissolved oxygen and timing of swim bladder inflation drive the observed differences in the swim pattern. Our findings uncover the neural substrate underlying the evolutionary divergence of locomotion and its adaptation to their environmental constraints.

A deep-dive into fictive locomotion - a strategy to probe cellular activity during speed transitions in fictively swimming zebrafish larvae

Fictive locomotion is frequently used to study locomotor output in paralyzed animals. We have evaluated the character of swim episodes elicited by different strategies in zebrafish. Motor output was measured on both sides of a body segment using electrodes and a pipeline for synchronizing stimulation and recording, denoising data and peak-finding was developed. The optomotor response generated swims most equivalent to spontaneous activity, while electrical stimulation and NMDA application caused various artefacts. Our optimal settings, optomotor stimulation using 5-day-old larvae, were combined with calcium imaging and optogenetics to validate the setup's utility. Expression of GCaMP5G by the mnx1 promoter allowed correlation of calcium traces of dozens of motor neurons to the fictive locomotor output. Activation of motor neurons through channelrhodopsin produced aberrant locomotor episodes. This strategy can be used to investigate novel neuronal populations in a high-throughput manner to reveal their role in shaping motor output.

This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

Summary: This approach combines fictive locomotion, elicited through the optomotor response, and calcium imaging or optogenetics, to investigate the role of neuronal populations in shaping motor output.

Contributions of h- and Na+/K+ Pump Currents to the Generation of Episodic and Continuous Rhythmic Activities

Developing spinal motor networks produce a diverse array of outputs, including episodic and continuous patterns of rhythmic activity. Variation in excitability state and neuromodulatory tone can facilitate transitions between episodic and continuous rhythms; however, the intrinsic mechanisms that govern these rhythms and their transitions are poorly understood. Here, we tested the capacity of a single central pattern generator (CPG) circuit with tunable properties to generate multiple outputs. To address this, we deployed a computational model composed of an inhibitory half-center oscillator (HCO). Following predictions of our computational model, we tested the contributions of key properties to the generation of an episodic rhythm produced by isolated spinal cords of the newborn mouse. The model recapitulates the diverse state-dependent rhythms evoked by dopamine. In the model, episodic bursting depended predominantly on the endogenous oscillatory properties of neurons, with Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase pump (I_Pump) and hyperpolarization-activated currents (I_h) playing key roles. Modulation of either I_Pump or I_h produced transitions between episodic and continuous rhythms and silence. As maximal activity of I_Pump decreased, the interepisode interval and period increased along with a reduction in episode duration. Decreasing maximal conductance of I_h decreased episode duration and increased interepisode interval. Pharmacological manipulations of I_h with ivabradine, and I_Pump with ouabain or monensin in isolated spinal cords produced findings consistent with the model. Our modeling and experimental results highlight key roles of I_h and I_Pump in producing episodic rhythms and provide insight into mechanisms that permit a single CPG to produce multiple patterns of rhythmicity.

Modeling spinal locomotor circuits for movements in developing zebrafish

Many spinal circuits dedicated to locomotor control have been identified in the developing zebrafish. How these circuits operate together to generate the various swimming movements during development remains to be clarified. In this study, we iteratively built models of developing zebrafish spinal circuits coupled to simplified musculoskeletal models that reproduce coiling and swimming movements. The neurons of the models were based upon morphologically or genetically identified populations in the developing zebrafish spinal cord. We simulated intact spinal circuits as well as circuits with silenced neurons or altered synaptic transmission to better understand the role of specific spinal neurons. Analysis of firing patterns and phase relationships helped to identify possible mechanisms underlying the locomotor movements of developing zebrafish. Notably, our simulations demonstrated how the site and the operation of rhythm generation could transition between coiling and swimming. The simulations also underlined the importance of contralateral excitation to multiple tail beats. They allowed us to estimate the sensitivity of spinal locomotor networks to motor command amplitude, synaptic weights, length of ascending and descending axons, and firing behavior. These models will serve as valuable tools to test and further understand the operation of spinal circuits for locomotion.

Spinal V1 neurons inhibit motor targets locally and sensory targets distally

Rostro-caudal coordination of spinal motor output is essential for locomotion. Most spinal interneurons project axons longitudinally to govern locomotor output, yet their connectivity along this axis remains unclear. In this study, we use larval zebrafish to map synaptic outputs of a major inhibitory population, V1 (Eng1⁺) neurons, which are implicated in dual sensory and motor functions. We find that V1 neurons exhibit long axons extending rostrally and exclusively ipsilaterally for an average of 6 spinal segments; however, they do not connect uniformly with their post-synaptic targets along the entire length of their axon. Locally, V1 neurons inhibit motor neurons (both fast and slow) and other premotor targets, including V2a, V2b, and commissural premotor neurons. In contrast, V1 neurons make robust long-range inhibitory contacts onto a dorsal horn sensory population, the commissural primary ascending neurons (CoPAs). In a computational model of the ipsilateral spinal network, we show that this pattern of short-range V1 inhibition to motor and premotor neurons underlies burst termination, which is critical for coordinated rostro-caudal propagation of the locomotor wave. We conclude that spinal network architecture in the longitudinal axis can vary dramatically, with differentially targeted local and distal connections, yielding important consequences for function.

Repetitive optogenetic stimulation of glutamatergic neurons: An alternative to NMDA treatment for generating locomotor activity in spinalized zebrafish larvae

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) application has conventionally been used to activate spinal networks to induce locomotion in spinalized animals. We recently described an alternative approach in which application of continuous blue light activates channelrhodopsin-2 in vesicular glutamate transporter 2a (vglut2a)-expressing spinal neurons to produce organized, rhythmic locomotor activity in spinally-transected larval zebrafish. This technique arguably enhances research validity, because endogenous glutamate is released into existing synapses instead of activating only a subset of glutamatergic (NMDA) receptors with an exogenous compound. Here, we explored the viability of this approach in the context of using it for longer-term experiments. Fictive swimming was induced through repetitive application of 10-s blue light stimuli to spinalized preparations for up to 60 min at intervals of 1, 3, or 15 min. Locomotor activity was maintained throughout the experimental timecourse, demonstrating the robustness of the system. Although locomotor bursts remained organized into episodes of activity, the number of bursts elicited during each successive stimulus decreased. This was in contrast to NMDA bath application, in which bursts became less episodically organized while the overall number of bursts remained unchanged. The efficacy of the repetitive optogenetic stimulation paradigm was demonstrated through application of exogenous dopamine, which reversibly decreased the number of bursts produced per stimulus compared with untreated preparations. Finally, increasing the stimulus interval to 15 min lessened, but did not eliminate locomotor fatigue from repetitive activation. Altogether, we established repetitive optogenetic stimulation of vglut2a-expressing neurons as a viable alternative to NMDA application for activation of the zebrafish spinal locomotor network.

Spatiotemporal Transition in the Role of Synaptic Inhibition to the Tail Beat Rhythm of Developing Larval Zebrafish

Significant maturation of swimming in zebrafish (Danio rerio) occurs within the first few days of life when fish transition from coiling movements to burst swimming and then to beat-and-glide swimming. This maturation occurs against a backdrop of numerous developmental changes - neurogenesis, a transition from predominantly electrical to chemical-based neurotransmission, and refinement of intrinsic properties. There is evidence that spinal locomotor circuits undergo fundamental changes as the zebrafish transitions from burst to beat-and-glide swimming. Our electrophysiological recordings confirm that the operation of spinal locomotor circuits becomes increasingly reliant on glycinergic neurotransmission for rhythmogenesis governing the rhythm of tail beats. This transition occurred at the same time that we observed a change in rhythmicity of synaptic inhibition to spinal motoneurons (MNs). When we examined whether the transition from weakly to strongly glycinergic dependent rhythmogenesis occurred at a uniform pace across the length of the spinal cord, we found that this transition occurred earlier at caudal segments than at rostral segments of the spinal cord. Furthermore, while this rhythmogenic transition occurred when fish transition from burst swimming to beat-and-glide swimming, these two transitions were not interdependent. These results suggest that there is a developmental transition in the operation of spinal locomotor circuits that is gradually set in place in the spinal cord in a caudo-rostral temporal sequence.

Glutamate receptor subtypes differentially contribute to optogenetically activated swimming in spinally transected zebrafish larvae

The spinal cord (SC) contains neural networks that are capable of producing organized locomotor activity autonomously from the brain. Locomotor activity can be induced in spinally transected (spinalized) animals by adding a source of tonic excitation to activate spinal networks. This is commonly accomplished by activating N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors through bath application of NMDA. More recently, optogenetic approaches have enabled both activation and inactivation of neuronal cell populations to control the activity of locomotor networks. Larval zebrafish are exceptionally amenable to optogenetic techniques due to their transparency, which permits noninvasive light delivery. In this study, we induced locomotor activity in spinalized transgenic zebrafish larvae that expressed channelrhodopsin-2 in all subtypes of spinal vesicular glutamate transporter 2a (vglut2a)-expressing neurons by applying 10 s of constant blue light to the preparations. The resultant locomotor activity possessed all of the characteristics of swimming: bilateral alternation, rostrocaudal progression, and organization into discrete swimming episodes. Spatially restricted light application revealed that illumination of the rostral SC produced more robust activity than illumination of the caudal SC. Moreover, illumination of only three body segments was sufficient to produce fictive swimming. Intriguingly, organized swimming activity persisted during NMDA receptor antagonism but was disrupted by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonism. Hence, AMPA receptor signaling is required for episodically-organized swimming, whereas NMDA receptor signaling is not necessary.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Spinal locomotor networks have the intrinsic capacity to transform unpatterned excitatory input into patterned output. Conventionally, spinally mediated fictive locomotor activity is experimentally elicited by N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) application to bias the network toward activation. We present a novel experimental paradigm that permits spatially and temporally controllable activation of spinal vesicular glutamate transporter 2a-expressing neurons in larval zebrafish, eliciting patterned locomotor activity that is not dependent on NMDA receptor signaling.

Spinal V2b neurons reveal a role for ipsilateral inhibition in speed control

The spinal cord contains a diverse array of interneurons that govern motor output. Traditionally, models of spinal circuits have emphasized the role of inhibition in enforcing reciprocal alternation between left and right sides or flexors and extensors. However, recent work has shown that inhibition also increases coincident with excitation during contraction. Here, using larval zebrafish, we investigate the V2b (Gata3+) class of neurons, which contribute to flexor-extensor alternation but are otherwise poorly understood. Using newly generated transgenic lines we define two stable subclasses with distinct neurotransmitter and morphological properties. These V2b subclasses synapse directly onto motor neurons with differential targeting to speed-specific circuits. In vivo, optogenetic manipulation of V2b activity modulates locomotor frequency: suppressing V2b neurons elicits faster locomotion, whereas activating V2b neurons slows locomotion. We conclude that V2b neurons serve as a brake on axial motor circuits. Together, these results indicate a role for ipsilateral inhibition in speed control.

Augmentation of spinal cord glutamatergic synaptic currents in zebrafish primary motoneurons expressing mutant human TARDBP (TDP-43)

Though there is compelling evidence that de-innervation of neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) occurs early in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), defects arising at synapses in the spinal cord remain incompletely understood. To investigate spinal cord synaptic dysfunction, we took advantage of a zebrafish larval model and expressed either wild type human TARDBP (wtTARDBP) or the ALS-causing G348C variant (mutTARDBP). The larval zebrafish is ideally suited to examine synaptic connectivity between descending populations of neurons and spinal cord motoneurons as a fully intact spinal cord is preserved during experimentation. Here we provide evidence that the tail-beat motor pattern is reduced in both frequency and duration in larvae expressing mutTARDBP. In addition, we report that motor-related synaptic depolarizations in primary motoneurons of the spinal cord are shorter in duration and fewer action potentials are evoked in larvae expressing mutTARDBP. To more thoroughly examine spinal cord synaptic dysfunction in our ALS model, we isolated AMPA/kainate-mediated glutamatergic miniature excitatory post-synaptic currents in primary motoneurons and found that in addition to displaying a larger amplitude, the frequency of quantal events was higher in larvae expressing mutTARDBP when compared to larvae expressing wtTARDBP. In a final series of experiments, we optogenetically drove neuronal activity in the hindbrain and spinal cord population of descending ipsilateral glutamatergic interneurons (expressing Chx10) using the Gal4-UAS system and found that larvae expressing mutTARDBP displayed abnormal tail-beat patterns in response to optogenetic stimuli and augmented synaptic connectivity with motoneurons. These findings indicate that expression of mutTARDBP results in functionally altered glutamatergic synapses in the spinal cord.

Intraspinal serotonergic signaling suppresses locomotor activity in larval zebrafish

Serotonin (5HT) is a modulator of many vital processes in the spinal cord (SC), such as production of locomotion. In the larval zebrafish, intraspinal serotonergic neurons (ISNs) are a source of spinal 5HT that, despite the availability of numerous genetic and optical tools, has not yet been directly shown to affect the spinal locomotor network. In order to better understand the functions of ISNs, we used a combination of strategies to investigate ISN development, morphology, and function. ISNs were optically isolated from one another by photoconverting Kaede fluorescent protein in individual cells, permitting morphometric analysis as they developed in vivo. ISN neurite lengths and projection distances exhibited the greatest amount of change between 3 and 4 days post-fertilization (dpf) and appeared to stabilize by 5 dpf. Overall ISN innervation patterns were similar between cells and between SC regions. ISNs possessed rostrally-extending neurites resembling dendrites and a caudally-extending neurite resembling an axon, which terminated with an enlarged growth cone-like structure. Interestingly, these enlargements remained even after neurite extension had ceased. Functionally, application of exogenous 5HT reduced spinally-produced motor nerve bursting. A selective 5HT reuptake inhibitor and ISN activation with channelrhodopsin-2 each produced similar effects to 5HT, indicating that spinally-intrinsic 5HT originating from the ISNs has an inhibitory effect on the spinal locomotor network. Taken together this suggests that the ISNs are morphologically mature by 5 dpf and supports their involvement in modulating the activity of the spinal locomotor network. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2018.

Visual Experience Facilitates BDNF-Dependent Adaptive Recruitment of New Neurons in the Postembryonic Optic Tectum

Postembryonic brain development is sensitive to environmental input and sensory experience, but the mechanisms underlying healthy adaptive brain growth are poorly understood. Here, we tested the importance of visual experience on larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) postembryonic development of the optic tectum (OT), a midbrain structure involved in visually guided behavior. We first characterized postembryonic neurogenic growth in OT, in which new neurons are generated along the caudal tectal surface and contribute appositionally to anatomical growth. Restricting visual experience during development by rearing larvae in dim light impaired OT anatomical and neurogenic growth, specifically by reducing the survival of new neurons in the medial periventricular gray zone. Neuronal survival in the OT was reduced only when visual experience was restricted for the first 5 d following new neuron generation, suggesting that tectal neurons exhibit an early sensitive period in which visual experience protects these cells from subsequent neuronal loss. The effect of dim rearing on neuronal survival was mimicked by treatment with an NMDA receptor antagonist early, but not later, in a new neuron's life. Both dim rearing and antagonist treatment reduced BDNF production in the OT, and supplementing larvae with exogenous BDNF during dim rearing prevented neuronal loss, suggesting that visual experience protects new tectal neurons through neural activity-dependent BDNF expression. Collectively, we present evidence for a sensitive period of neurogenic adaptive growth in the larval zebrafish OT that relies on visual experience-dependent mechanisms.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Early brain development is shaped by environmental factors via sensory input; however, this form of experience-dependent neuroplasticity is traditionally studied as structural and functional changes within preexisting neurons. Here, we found that restricting visual experience affects development of the larval zebrafish optic tectum, a midbrain structure involved in visually guided behavior, by limiting the survival of newly generated neurons. We found that new tectal neurons exhibit a sensitive period soon after cell birth in which adequate visual experience, likely mediated by neuronal activity driving BDNF production within the tectum, would protect them from subsequent neuronal loss over the following week. Collectively, we present evidence for neurogenic adaptive tectal growth under different environmental lighting conditions.

NO-sGC Pathway Modulates Ca2+ Release and Muscle Contraction in Zebrafish Skeletal Muscle

Vertebrate skeletal muscle contraction and relaxation is a complex process that depends on Ca²⁺ ions to promote the interaction of actin and myosin. This process can be modulated by nitric oxide (NO), a gas molecule synthesized endogenously by (nitric oxide synthase) NOS isoforms. At nanomolar concentrations NO activates soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), which in turn activates protein kinase G via conversion of GTP into cyclic GMP. Alternatively, NO post-translationally modifies proteins via S-nitrosylation of the thiol group of cysteine. However, the mechanisms of action of NO on Ca²⁺ homeostasis during muscle contraction are not fully understood and we hypothesize that NO exerts its effects on Ca²⁺ homeostasis in skeletal muscles mainly through negative modulation of Ca²⁺ release and Ca²⁺ uptake via the NO-sGC-PKG pathway. To address this, we used 5–7 days-post fecundation-larvae of zebrafish, a well-established animal model for physiological and pathophysiological muscle activity. We evaluated the response of muscle contraction and Ca²⁺ transients in presence of SNAP, a NO-donor, or L-NAME, an unspecific NOS blocker in combination with specific blockers of key proteins of Ca²⁺ homeostasis. We also evaluate the expression of NOS in combination with dihydropteridine receptor, ryanodine receptor and sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ ATPase. We concluded that endogenous NO reduced force production through negative modulation of Ca²⁺ transients via the NO-sGC pathway. This effect could be reversed using an unspecific NOS blocker or sGC blocker.

State-Dependent Modulation of Locomotion by GABAergic Spinal Sensory Neurons

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) constitutes an interface through which chemical cues can reach and modulate the activity of neurons located at the epithelial boundary within the entire nervous system. Here, we investigate the role and functional connectivity of a class of GABAergic sensory neurons contacting the CSF in the vertebrate spinal cord and referred to as CSF-cNs. The remote activation of CSF-cNs was shown to trigger delayed slow locomotion in the zebrafish larva, suggesting that these cells modulate components of locomotor central pattern generators (CPGs). Combining anatomy, electrophysiology, and optogenetics in vivo, we show that CSF-cNs form active GABAergic synapses onto V0-v glutamatergic interneurons, an essential component of locomotor CPGs. We confirmed that activating CSF-cNs at rest induced delayed slow locomotion in the fictive preparation. In contrast, the activation of CSF-cNs promptly inhibited ongoing slow locomotion. Moreover, selective activation of rostral CSF-cNs during ongoing activity disrupted rostrocaudal propagation of descending excitation along the spinal cord, indicating that CSF-cNs primarily act at the premotor level. Altogether, our results demonstrate how a spinal GABAergic sensory neuron can tune the excitability of locomotor CPGs in a state-dependent manner by projecting onto essential components of the excitatory premotor pool.

Coordination of fictive motor activity in the larval zebrafish is generated by non-segmental mechanisms

The cellular and network basis for most vertebrate locomotor central pattern generators (CPGs) is incompletely characterized, but organizational models based on known CPG architectures have been proposed. Segmental models propose that each spinal segment contains a circuit that controls local coordination and sends longer projections to coordinate activity between segments. Unsegmented/continuous models propose that patterned motor output is driven by gradients of neurons and synapses that do not have segmental boundaries. We tested these ideas in the larval zebrafish, an animal that swims in discrete episodes, each of which is composed of coordinated motor bursts that progress rostrocaudally and alternate from side to side. We perturbed the spinal cord using spinal transections or strychnine application and measured the effect on fictive motor output. Spinal transections eliminated episode structure, and reduced both rostrocaudal and side-to-side coordination. Preparations with fewer intact segments were more severely affected, and preparations consisting of midbody and caudal segments were more severely affected than those consisting of rostral segments. In reduced preparations with the same number of intact spinal segments, side-to-side coordination was more severely disrupted than rostrocaudal coordination. Reducing glycine receptor signaling with strychnine reversibly disrupted both rostrocaudal and side-to-side coordination in spinalized larvae without disrupting episodic structure. Both spinal transection and strychnine decreased the stability of the motor rhythm, but this effect was not causal in reducing coordination. These results are inconsistent with a segmented model of the spinal cord and are better explained by a continuous model in which motor neuron coordination is controlled by segment-spanning microcircuits.

Sensory gating of an embryonic zebrafish interneuron during spontaneous motor behaviors

In all but the simplest monosynaptic reflex arcs, sensory stimuli are encoded by sensory neurons that transmit a signal via sensory interneurons to downstream partners in order to elicit a response. In the embryonic zebrafish (Danio rerio), cutaneous Rohon-Beard (RB) sensory neurons fire in response to mechanical stimuli and excite downstream glutamatergic commissural primary ascending (CoPA) interneurons to produce a flexion response contralateral to the site of stimulus. In the absence of sensory stimuli, zebrafish spinal locomotor circuits are spontaneously active during development due to pacemaker activity resulting in repetitive coiling of the trunk. Self-generated movement must therefore be distinguishable from external stimuli in order to ensure the appropriate activation of touch reflexes. Here, we recorded from CoPAs during spontaneous and evoked fictive motor behaviors in order to examine how responses to self-movement are gated in sensory interneurons. During spontaneous coiling, CoPAs received glycinergic inputs coincident with contralateral flexions that shunted firing for the duration of the coiling event. Shunting inactivation of CoPAs was caused by a slowly deactivating chloride conductance that resulted in lowered membrane resistance and increased action potential threshold. During spontaneous burst swimming, which develops later, CoPAs received glycinergic inputs that arrived in phase with excitation to ipsilateral motoneurons and provided persistent shunting. During a touch stimulus, short latency glutamatergic inputs produced cationic currents through AMPA receptors that drove a single, large amplitude action potential in the CoPA before shunting inhibition began, providing a brief window for the activation of downstream neurons. We compared the properties of CoPAs to those of other spinal neurons and propose that glycinergic signaling onto CoPAs acts as a corollary discharge signal for reflex inhibition during movement.

A hybrid electrical/chemical circuit in the spinal cord generates a transient embryonic motor behavior

Spontaneous network activity is a highly stereotyped early feature of developing circuits throughout the nervous system, including in the spinal cord. Spinal locomotor circuits produce a series of behaviors during development before locomotion that reflect the continual integration of spinal neurons into a functional network, but how the circuitry is reconfigured is not understood. The first behavior of the zebrafish embryo (spontaneous coiling) is mediated by an electrical circuit that subsequently generates mature locomotion (swimming) as chemical neurotransmission develops. We describe here a new spontaneous behavior, double coiling, that consists of two alternating contractions of the tail in rapid succession. Double coiling was glutamate-dependent and required descending hindbrain excitation, similar to but preceding swimming, making it a discrete intermediary developmental behavior. At the cellular level, motoneurons had a distinctive glutamate-dependent activity pattern that correlated with double coiling. Two glutamatergic interneurons, CoPAs and CiDs, had different activity profiles during this novel behavior. CoPA neurons failed to show changes in activity patterns during the period in which double coiling appears, whereas CiD neurons developed a glutamate-dependent activity pattern that correlated with double coiling and they innervated motoneurons at that time. Additionally, double coils were modified after pharmacological reduction of glycinergic neurotransmission such that embryos produced three or more rapidly alternating coils. We propose that double coiling behavior represents an important transition of the motor network from an electrically coupled spinal cord circuit that produces simple periodic coils to a spinal network driven by descending chemical neurotransmission, which generates more complex behaviors.

Neural control and modulation of swimming speed in the larval zebrafish

Vertebrate locomotion at different speeds is driven by descending excitatory connections to central pattern generators in the spinal cord. To investigate how these inputs determine locomotor kinematics, we used whole-field visual motion to drive zebrafish to swim at different speeds. Larvae match the stimulus speed by utilizing more locomotor events, or modifying kinematic parameters such as the duration and speed of swimming bouts, the tail-beat frequency, and the choice of gait. We used laser ablations, electrical stimulation, and activity recordings in descending neurons of the nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus (nMLF) to dissect their contribution to controlling forward movement. We found that the activity of single identified neurons within the nMLF is correlated with locomotor kinematics, and modulates both the duration and oscillation frequency of tail movements. By identifying the contribution of individual supraspinal circuit elements to locomotion kinematics, we build a better understanding of how the brain controls movement.

Dynamics and plasticity of spinal locomotor circuits

Spinal circuits generate coordinated locomotor movements. These hardwired circuits are supplemented with neuromodulation that provide the necessary flexibility for animals to move smoothly through their environment. This review will highlight some recent insights gained in understanding the functional dynamics and plasticity of the locomotor circuits. First the mechanisms governing the modulation of the speed of locomotion will be discussed. Second, advantages of the modular organization of the locomotor networks with multiple circuits engaged in a task-dependent manner will be examined. Finally, the neuromodulation and the resulting plasticity of the locomotor circuits will be summarized with an emphasis on endocannabinoids and nitric oxide. The intention is to extract general principles of organization and discuss some onto-genetic and phylogenetic divergences.

Overdose of D-serine Induces Movement Disorder and Neuromuscular Changes of Zebrafish Larvae

D-serine is a well-known activator of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors; however, little is known about the teratogenic effects of D-serine overdose during early embryonic development. Here, we used zebrafish as a model to test toxicity and teratogenicity, since they have transparent eggs, making the organogenesis of zebrafish embryos easier to be observed. After D-serine injection (100–1000 ppm), the most evident defective phenotypes were bent trunk phenotypes, including malformed somite boundary, twisted body axis and shorter body length. As the injection dosages increased, the rates of embryos with bent trunk phenotypes decreased (0% for 0 ppm, n=573; 59.9~84.3% for 100–1000 ppm of D-serine, n=383–451). In addition, D-serine-injected embryos exhibited significantly reduced the frequencies of spontaneous in-chorion contraction (21.7 for 0 ppm vs. 18.3–0.9 for 100–1000 ppm D-serine, n=30) in comparison with mock-treated controls (0 ppm). Subtle changes are easily observed by staining with specific monoclonal antibodies F59, Znp1, Zn5 and α-bungarotoxin to detect morphological changes in muscle fibers, primary motor axons, secondary motor axon projections and neuromuscular junctions, respectively. Our data show that overdose of D-serine leads to misalignment of muscle fibers and motor neuron defects, especially secondary motor neuron axonal growth defects.

Different forms of locomotion in the spinal lamprey

Forward locomotion has been extensively studied in different vertebrate animals, and the principal role of spinal mechanisms in the generation of this form of locomotion has been demonstrated. Vertebrate animals, however, are capable of other forms of locomotion, such as backward walking and swimming, sideward walking, and crawling. Do the spinal mechanisms play a principal role in the generation of these forms of locomotion? We addressed this question in lampreys, which are capable of five different forms of locomotion - fast forward swimming, slow forward swimming, backward swimming, forward crawling, and backward crawling. To induce locomotion in lampreys spinalised at the second gill level, we used either electrical stimulation of the spinal cord at different rostrocaudal levels, or tactile stimulation of specific cutaneous receptive fields from which a given form of locomotion could be evoked in intact lampreys. We found that any of the five forms of locomotion could be evoked in the spinal lamprey by electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, and some of them by tactile stimulation. These results suggest that spinal mechanisms in the lamprey, in the absence of phasic supraspinal commands, are capable of generating the basic pattern for all five forms of locomotion observed in intact lampreys. In spinal lampreys, the direction of swimming did not depend on the site of spinal cord stimulation, but on the stimulation strength. The direction of crawling strongly depended on the body configuration. The spinal structures presumably activated by spinal cord stimulation and causing different forms of locomotion are discussed.

Loss and gain of FUS function impair neuromuscular synaptic transmission in a genetic model of ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) presents clinically in adulthood and is characterized by the loss of motoneurons in the spinal cord and cerebral cortex. Animal models of the disease suggest that significant neuronal abnormalities exist during preclinical stages of the disease. Mutations in the gene fused in sarcoma (FUS) are associated with ALS and cause impairment in motor function in animal models. However, the mechanism of neuromuscular dysfunction underlying pathophysiological deficits causing impairment in locomotor function resulting from mutant FUS expression is unknown. To characterize the cellular pathophysiological defect, we expressed the wild-type human gene (wtFUS) or the ALS-associated mutation R521H (mutFUS) gene in zebrafish larvae and characterized their motor (swimming) activity and function of their neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Additionally, we tested knockdown of zebrafish fus with an antisense morpholino oligonucleotide (fus AMO). Expression of either mutFUS or knockdown of fus resulted in impaired motor activity and reduced NMJ synaptic fidelity with reduced quantal transmission. Primary motoneurons expressing mutFUS were found to be more excitable. These impairments in neuronal function could be partially restored in fus AMO larvae also expressing wtFUS (fus AMO+wtFUS) but not mutFUS (fus AMO+mutFUS). These results show that both a loss and gain of FUS function result in defective presynaptic function at the NMJ.

Calcium channel agonists protect against neuromuscular dysfunction in a genetic model of TDP-43 mutation in ALS

TAR DNA binding protein (TDP-43, encoded by the TARDBP gene) has recently been shown to be associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but the early pathophysiological deficits causing impairment in motor function are unknown. Here we expressed the wild-type human gene (wtTARDBP) or the ALS mutation G348C (mutTARDBP) in zebrafish larvae and characterized their motor (swimming) activity and the structure and function of their neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Of these groups only mutTARDBP larvae showed impaired swimming and increased motoneuron vulnerability with reduced synaptic fidelity, reduced quantal transmission, and more orphaned presynaptic and postsynaptic structures at the NMJ. Remarkably, all behavioral and cellular features were stabilized by chronic treatment with either of the L-type calcium channel agonists FPL 64176 or Bay K 8644. These results indicate that expression of mutTARDBP results in defective NMJs and that calcium channel agonists could be novel therapeutics for ALS.

Decoding the rules of recruitment of excitatory interneurons in the adult zebrafish locomotor network

Neural networks in the spinal cord transform signals from the brain into coordinated locomotor movements. An optimal adjustment of the speed of locomotion entails a precise order of recruitment of interneurons underlying excitation within these networks. However, the mechanisms encoding the recruitment threshold of excitatory interneurons have remained unclear. Here we show, using a juvenile/adult zebrafish preparation, that excitatory V2a interneurons are incrementally recruited with increased swimming frequency. The order of recruitment is not imprinted by the topography or the input resistance of the V2a interneurons. Rather, it is determined by scaling the effect of excitatory synaptic currents by the input resistance. We also show that the locomotor networks are composed of multiple microcircuits encompassing subsets of V2a interneurons and motoneurons that are recruited in a continuum with increased swimming speeds. Thus, our results provide insights into the organization and mechanisms determining the recruitment of spinal microcircuits to ensure optimal execution of locomotor movements.

The conserved dopaminergic diencephalospinal tract mediates vertebrate locomotor development in zebrafish larvae

The most conserved part of the vertebrate dopaminergic system is the orthopedia (otp)-expressing diencephalic neuronal population that constitutes the dopaminergic diencephalospinal tract (DDT). Although studies in the neonatal murine spinal cord in vitro suggest an early locomotor role of the DDT, the function of the DDT in developing vertebrates in vivo remains unknown. Here, we investigated the role of the DDT in the locomotor development of zebrafish larvae. To assess the development of the behavioral and neural locomotor pattern, we used high-throughput video tracking in combination with peripheral nerve recordings. We found a behavioral and neural correspondence in the developmental switch from an immature to mature locomotor pattern. Blocking endogenous dopamine receptor 4 (D(4)R) signaling in vivo either before or after the developmental switch prevented or reversed the switch, respectively. Spinal transections of post-switch larvae reestablished the immature locomotor pattern, which was rescued to a mature-like pattern via spinal D(4)R agonism. Selective chemogenetic ablation of otp b (otpb) neurons that contribute to the DDT perpetuated the immature locomotor pattern in vivo. This phenotype was recapitulated by diencephalic transections that removed the dopaminergic otpb population and was rescued to a mature-like locomotor pattern by D(4)R agonism. We conclude that the dopaminergic otpb population, via the DDT, is responsible for spinal D(4)R signaling to mediate the developmental switch to the mature locomotor pattern of zebrafish. These results, integrated with the mammalian literature, suggest that the DDT represents an evolutionarily conserved neuromodulatory system that is necessary for normal vertebrate locomotor development.

Episodic swimming in the larval zebrafish is generated by a spatially distributed spinal network with modular functional organization

Despite the diverse methods vertebrates use for locomotion, there is evidence that components of the locomotor central pattern generator (CPG) are conserved across species. When zebrafish begin swimming early in development, they perform short episodes of activity separated by periods of inactivity. Within these episodes, the trunk flexes with side-to-side alternation and the traveling body wave progresses rostrocaudally. To characterize the distribution of the swimming CPG along the rostrocaudal axis, we performed transections of the larval zebrafish spinal cord and induced fictive swimming using N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA). In both intact and spinalized larvae, bursting is found throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the spinal cord, and the properties of fictive swimming observed were dependent on the concentration of NMDA. We isolated series of contiguous spinal segments by performing multiple spinal transections on the same larvae. Although series from all regions of the spinal cord have the capacity to produce bursts, the capacity to produce organized episodes of fictive swimming has a rostral bias: in the rostral spinal cord, only 12 contiguous body segments are necessary, whereas 23 contiguous body segments are necessary in the caudal spinal cord. Shorter series of segments were often active but produced either continuous rhythmic bursting or sporadic, nonrhythmic bursting. Both episodic and continuous bursting alternated between the left and right sides of the body and showed rostrocaudal progression, demonstrating the functional dissociation of the circuits responsible for episodic structure and fine burst timing. These findings parallel results in mammalian locomotion, and we propose a hierarchical model of the larval zebrafish swimming CPG.

Origin of excitation underlying locomotion in the spinal circuit of zebrafish

Neural circuits in the spinal cord transform instructive signals from the brain into well-coordinated locomotor movements by virtue of rhythm-generating components. Although evidence suggests that excitatory interneurons are the essence of locomotor rhythm generation, their molecular identity and the assessment of their necessity have remained unclear. Here we show, using larval zebrafish, that V2a interneurons represent an intrinsic source of excitation necessary for the normal expression of the locomotor rhythm. Acute and selective ablation of these interneurons increases the threshold of induction of swimming activity, decreases the burst frequency, and alters the coordination of the rostro-caudal propagation of activity. Thus, our results argue that V2a interneurons represent a source of excitation that endows the spinal circuit with the capacity to generate locomotion.

Low-threshold calcium currents contribute to locomotor-like activity in neonatal mice

In this study, we examined the contribution of a low-threshold calcium current [I(Ca(T))] to locomotor-related activity in the neonatal mouse. Specifically, the role of I(Ca(T)) was studied during chemically induced, locomotor-like activity in the isolated whole cord and in a genetically distinct population of ventromedial spinal interneurons marked by the homeobox gene Hb9. In isolated whole spinal cords, cycle frequency was decreased in the presence of low-threshold calcium channel blockers, which suggests a role for I(Ca(T)) in the network that produces rhythmic, locomotor-like activity. Additionally, we used Hb9 interneurons as a model to study the cellular responses to application of low-threshold calcium channel blockers. In transverse slice preparations from transgenic Hb9::enhanced green fluorescent protein neonatal mice, N-methyl-d-aspartate-induced membrane potential oscillations in identified Hb9 interneurons also slowed in frequency with application of nickel when fast, spike-mediated, synaptic transmission was blocked with TTX. Voltage-clamp and immunolabeling experiments confirmed expression of I(Ca(T)) and channels, respectively, in Hb9 interneurons located in the ventromedial spinal cord. Taken together, these results provide support that T-type calcium currents play an important role in network-wide rhythm generation during chemically evoked, fictive locomotor activity.

Initiation of locomotion in adult zebrafish

Motor behavior is generated by specific neural circuits. Those producing locomotion are located in the spinal cord, and their activation depends on descending inputs from the brain or on sensory inputs. In this study, we have used an in vitro brainstem-spinal cord preparation from adult zebrafish to localize a region where stimulation of descending inputs can induce sustained locomotor activity. We show that a brief stimulation of descending inputs at the junction between the brainstem and spinal cord induces long-lasting swimming activity. The swimming frequencies induced are remarkably similar to those observed in freely moving adult fish, arguing that the induced locomotor episode is highly physiological. The motor pattern is mediated by activation of ionotropic glutamate and glycine receptors in the spinal cord and is not the result of synaptic interactions between neurons at the site of the stimulation in the brainstem. We also compared the activity of motoneurons during locomotor activity induced by electrical stimulation of descending inputs and by exogenously applied NMDA. Prolonged NMDA application changes the shape of the synaptic drive and action potentials in motoneurons. When escape activity occurs, the swimming activity in the intact zebrafish was interrupted and some of the motoneurons involved became inhibited in vitro. Thus, the descending inputs seem to act as a switch to turn on the activity of the spinal locomotor network in the caudal spinal cord. We propose that recurrent synaptic activity within the spinal locomotor circuits can transform a brief input into a well coordinated and long-lasting swimming pattern.

Neural circuit activity in freely behaving zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Examining neuronal network activity in freely behaving animals is advantageous for probing the function of the vertebrate central nervous system. Here, we describe a simple, robust technique for monitoring the activity of neural circuits in unfettered, freely behaving zebrafish (Danio rerio). Zebrafish respond to unexpected tactile stimuli with short- or long-latency escape behaviors, which are mediated by distinct neural circuits. Using dipole electrodes immersed in the aquarium, we measured electric field potentials generated in muscle during short- and long-latency escapes. We found that activation of the underlying neural circuits produced unique field potential signatures that are easily recognized and can be repeatedly monitored. In conjunction with behavioral analysis, we used this technique to track changes in the pattern of circuit activation during the first week of development in animals whose trigeminal sensory neurons were unilaterally ablated. One day post-ablation, the frequency of short- and long-latency responses was significantly lower on the ablated side than on the intact side. Three days post-ablation, a significant fraction of escapes evoked by stimuli on the ablated side was improperly executed, with the animal turning towards rather than away from the stimulus. However, the overall response rate remained low. Seven days post-ablation, the frequency of escapes increased dramatically and the percentage of improperly executed escapes declined. Our results demonstrate that trigeminal ablation results in rapid reconfiguration of the escape circuitry, with reinnervation by new sensory neurons and adaptive changes in behavior. This technique is valuable for probing the activity, development, plasticity and regeneration of neural circuits under natural conditions.

Chapter 12--modulation of rhythmic movement: control of coordination

Three rhythmic movements, breathing, walking, and chewing, are considered from the perspective of the emerging factors that control their coordination. This takes us beyond the concept of a core excitatory kernel and into the common principles that govern the interaction between components of the neural networks that must be orchestrated properly to produce meaningful movement beyond the production of the basic rhythm. We focus on the role of neuromodulators, especially 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), in the production of coordinated breathing, walking, and chewing, and we review the evidence that at least in the case of breathing and walking, 5-HT input to the CPGs acts through the selection of inhibitory interneurons that are essential for coordination. We review data from recently developed mouse models that offer insight into the contributions of inhibitory coordinating neurons, including the development of a new model that has allowed the revelation that there are glycinergic pacemaker neurons that likely contribute to the production of the respiratory rhythm. Perhaps walking and chewing will not be far behind.

Na(v)1.6a is required for normal activation of motor circuits normally excited by tactile stimulation

A screen for zebrafish motor mutants identified two noncomplementing alleles of a recessive mutation that were named non-active (nav(mi89) and nav(mi130)). nav embryos displayed diminished spontaneous and touch-evoked escape behaviors during the first 3 days of development. Genetic mapping identified the gene encoding Na(V)1.6a (scn8aa) as a potential candidate for nav. Subsequent cloning of scn8aa from the two alleles of nav uncovered two missense mutations in Na(V)1.6a that eliminated channel activity when assayed heterologously. Furthermore, the injection of RNA encoding wild-type scn8aa rescued the nav mutant phenotype indicating that scn8aa was the causative gene of nav. In-vivo electrophysiological analysis of the touch-evoked escape circuit indicated that voltage-dependent inward current was decreased in mechanosensory neurons in mutants, but they were able to fire action potentials. Furthermore, tactile stimulation of mutants activated some neurons downstream of mechanosensory neurons but failed to activate the swim locomotor circuit in accord with the behavioral response of initial escape contractions but no swimming. Thus, mutant mechanosensory neurons appeared to respond to tactile stimulation but failed to initiate swimming. Interestingly fictive swimming could be initiated pharmacologically suggesting that a swim circuit was present in mutants. These results suggested that Na(V)1.6a was required for touch-induced activation of the swim locomotor network.

Synaptic scaling and the development of a motor network

Neurons respond homeostatically to chronic changes in network activity with compensatory changes such as a uniform alteration in the size of miniature postsynaptic current (mPSC) amplitudes termed synaptic scaling. However, little is known about the impact of synaptic scaling on the function of neural networks in vivo. We used the embryonic zebrafish to address the effect of synaptic scaling on the neural network underlying locomotion. Activity was decreased during development by TTX injection to block action potentials or CNQX injection to block glutamatergic transmission. Alternatively TNFalpha was chronically applied. Recordings from spinal neurons showed that glutamatergic mPSCs scaled up approximately 25% after activity reduction and fortuitously scaled down approximately 20% after TNFalpha treatment, and were unchanged following blockade of neuromuscular activity alone with alpha-bungarotoxin. Regardless of the direction of scaling, immediately following reversal of treatment no chronic effect was distinguishable in motoneuron activity patterns or in swimming behavior. We also acutely induced a similar increase of glutamatergic mPSC amplitudes using cyclothiazide to reduce AMPA receptor desensitization or decrease of glutamatergic mPSC amplitudes using a low concentration of CNQX to partially block AMPA receptors. Though the strength of the motor output was altered, neither chronic nor acute treatments disrupted the patterning of synaptic activity or swimming. Our results show, for the first time, that scaling of glutamatergic synapses can be induced in vivo in the zebrafish and that synaptic patterning is less plastic than synaptic strength during development.

Roles for multifunctional and specialized spinal interneurons during motor pattern generation in tadpoles, zebrafish larvae, and turtles

The hindbrain and spinal cord can produce multiple forms of locomotion, escape, and withdrawal behaviors and (in limbed vertebrates) site-specific scratching. Until recently, the prevailing view was that the same classes of central nervous system neurons generate multiple kinds of movements, either through reconfiguration of a single, shared network or through an increase in the number of neurons recruited within each class. The mechanisms involved in selecting and generating different motor patterns have recently been explored in detail in some non-mammalian, vertebrate model systems. Work on the hatchling Xenopus tadpole, the larval zebrafish, and the adult turtle has now revealed that distinct kinds of motor patterns are actually selected and generated by combinations of multifunctional and specialized spinal interneurons. Multifunctional interneurons may form a core, multipurpose circuit that generates elements of coordinated motor output utilized in multiple behaviors, such as left-right alternation. But, in addition, specialized spinal interneurons including separate glutamatergic and glycinergic classes are selectively activated during specific patterns: escape-withdrawal, swimming and struggling in tadpoles and zebrafish, and limb withdrawal and scratching in turtles. These specialized neurons can contribute by changing the way central pattern generator (CPG) activity is initiated and by altering CPG composition and operation. The combined use of multifunctional and specialized neurons is now established as a principle of organization across a range of vertebrates. Future research may reveal common patterns of multifunctionality and specialization among interneurons controlling diverse movements and whether similar mechanisms exist in higher-order brain circuits that select among a wider array of complex movements.

Activation of a multisensory, multifunctional nucleus in the zebrafish midbrain during diverse locomotor behaviors

Action potentials from the brain control the activity of spinal neural networks to produce, by as yet unknown mechanisms, a variety of motor behaviors. Particularly lacking are details on how identified descending neurons integrate diverse sensory inputs to generate specific locomotor patterns. We have examined the operations of the principal neurons in an intriguing midbrain nucleus, the nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus (nMLF), in the larval zebrafish. The nMLF is the most rostral grouping of neurons that projects from the brain well into the spinal cord of teleost fishes, yet there is little direct physiological data available regarding its function. We report here that a distinct set of large, individually-identifiable neurons in nMLF (the MeL and MeM neurons) are activated by diverse sensory stimuli and contribute to distinct locomotor behaviors. Using in vivo confocal calcium imaging we observed that both photic and mechanical stimuli elicit calcium responses indicative of the firing of action potentials. Calcium responses were observed simultaneously with distinct swimming, turning and struggling movements of the larval trunk. While selectively contralateral responses were at times observed in response to a head-tap stimulus, these nMLF cells showed roughly similar numbers of bilateral responses. Calcium responses were observed at a range of latencies, suggesting involvement with both slow swimming patterns and the burst swimming component of the escape behavior. The MeL cells in particular were strongly activated during light-evoked slow swimming. The activation of MeL cells during the slow and burst forward swim gaits is consistent with their driving and/or coordinating the activity of slow and fast central pattern generators in spinal cord. As such, the MeL cells may help to shape a variety of larval behaviors including the optomotor response, escape swimming and prey capture.

Rhythmogenesis in axial locomotor networks: an interspecies comparison

During locomotion, specialized neural networks referred to as "central pattern generators" ensure precise temporal relations between the axial segments, both in limbed and limbless vertebrates. These neural networks are intrinsically capable of generating coordinated patterns of rhythmic activity in the absence of sensory feedback or descending command from higher brain centers. Rhythmogenesis in these neural circuits lies on several mechanisms, both at the cellular and the network levels. In this chapter, we compare the anatomical organization of the axial networks, the role of identified spinal neurons, and their interactions in rhythmogenesis in four species: lamprey, zebrafish, Xenopus tadpole, and salamander. The comparison suggests that several principles in axial network design are phylogenetically conserved among vertebrates.

Development of motor rhythms in zebrafish embryos

The nervous system can generate rhythms of various frequencies; on the low-frequency side, we have the circuits regulating circadian rhythms with a 24-h period, while on the high-frequency side we have the motor circuits that underlie flight in a hummingbird. Given the ubiquitous nature of rhythms, it is surprising that we know very little of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that produce them in the embryos and of their potential role during the development of neuronal circuits. Recently, zebrafish has been developed as a vertebrate model to study the genetics of neural development. Zebrafish offer several advantages to the study of nervous system development including optical and electrophysiological analysis of neuronal activity even at the earliest embryonic stages. This unique combination of physiology and genetics in the same animal model has led to insights into the development of neuronal networks. This chapter reviews work on the development of zebrafish motor rhythms and speculates on birth and maturation of the circuits that produce them.

Optical control of zebrafish behavior with halorhodopsin

Expression of halorhodopsin (NpHR), a light-driven microbial chloride pump, enables optical control of membrane potential and reversible silencing of targeted neurons. We generated transgenic zebrafish expressing enhanced NpHR under control of the Gal4/UAS system. Electrophysiological recordings showed that eNpHR stimulation effectively suppressed spiking of single neurons in vivo. Applying light through thin optic fibers positioned above the head of a semi-restrained zebrafish larva enabled us to target groups of neurons and to simultaneously test the effect of their silencing on behavior. The photostimulated volume of the zebrafish brain could be marked by subsequent photoconversion of co-expressed Kaede or Dendra. These techniques were used to localize swim command circuitry to a small hindbrain region, just rostral to the commissura infima Halleri. The kinetics of the hindbrain-generated swim command was investigated by combined and separate photo-activation of NpHR and Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), a light-gated cation channel, in the same neurons. Together this "optogenetic toolkit" allows loss-of-function and gain-of-function analyses of neural circuitry at high spatial and temporal resolution in a behaving vertebrate.

Serotonergic modulation of locomotion in zebrafish: endogenous release and synaptic mechanisms

Serotonin (5-HT) plays an important role in shaping the activity of the spinal networks underlying locomotion in many vertebrate preparations. At larval stages in zebrafish, 5-HT does not change the frequency of spontaneous swimming; and it only decreases the quiescent period between consecutive swimming episodes. However, it is not known whether 5-HT exerts similar actions on the locomotor network at later developmental stages. For this, the effect of 5-HT on the fictive locomotor pattern of juvenile and adult zebrafish was analyzed. Bath-application of 5-HT (1-20 mum) reduced the frequency of the NMDA-induced locomotor rhythm. Blocking removal from the synaptic cleft with the reuptake inhibitor citalopram had similar effects, suggesting that endogenous serotonin is modulating the locomotor pattern. One target for this modulation was the mid-cycle inhibition during locomotion because the IPSPs recorded in spinal neurons during the hyperpolarized phase were increased both in amplitude and occurrence by 5-HT. Similar results were obtained for IPSCs recorded in spinal neurons clamped at the reversal potential of excitatory currents (0 mV). 5-HT also slows down the rising phase of the excitatory drive recorded in spinal cord neurons when glycinergic inhibition is blocked. These results suggest that the decrease in the locomotor burst frequency induced by 5-HT is mediated by a potentiation of mid-cycle inhibition combined with a delayed onset of the subsequent depolarization.

Defining the excitatory neurons that drive the locomotor rhythm in a simple vertebrate: insights into the origin of reticulospinal control

Important questions remain about the origin of the excitation that drives locomotion in vertebrates and the roles played by reticulospinal neurons. In young Xenopus tadpoles, paired whole-cell recordings reveal reticulospinal neurons that directly excite swimming circuit neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord. They form part of a column of neurons (dINs) with ipsilateral descending projections which fire reliably and rhythmically in time with swimming. We ask if, at this early stage of development, these reticulospinal neurons are themselves the primary source of rhythmic drive to spinal cord neurons on each cycle of swimming. Loose-patch recordings in the hindbrain and spinal cord from neurons active during fictive swimming distinguished dINs from other neurons by spike shape. These recordings showed that reticulospinal dINs in the caudal hindbrain (rhombomeres 7–8) fire significantly earlier on each swimming cycle than other, ipsilateral, swimming circuit neurons. Whole-cell recordings showed that fast EPSCs typically precede, and probably drive, spikes in most swimming circuit neurons. However, the earliest-firing reticulospinal dINs spike too soon to be driven by underlying fast EPSCs. We propose that rebound following reciprocal inhibition can contribute to early reticulospinal dIN firing during swimming and show rebound firing in dINs following evoked, reciprocal inhibitory PSPs. Our results define reticulospinal neurons that are the source of the primary, descending, rhythmic excitation that drives spinal cord neurons to fire during swimming. These neurons are an integral part of the rhythm generating circuitry. We discuss the origin of these reticulospinal neurons as specialised members of a longitudinally distributed population of excitatory interneurons extending from the brainstem into the spinal cord.

Structure and function of skeletal muscle in zebrafish early larvae

Zebrafish muscles were examined at an early developmental stage (larvae 5-7 d). Using aluminum clips, preparations (approximately 1.5 mm length, 150 microm diameter) were mounted for force registration and small angle x-ray diffraction. Sarcomeres were oriented mainly in parallel with the preparation long axis. Electrical stimulation elicited fast and reproducible single twitch contractions. Length-force relations showed an optimal sarcomere length of 2.15 microm. X-ray diffraction revealed clear equatorial 1.1/1.0 reflections, showing that myofilaments are predominantly arranged along the preparation long axis. In contrast, reflections from older (2 mo) zebrafish showed two main filament orientations each at an approximately 25 degrees angle relative to the preparation long axis. Electrical stimulation of larvae muscles increased the 1.1/1.0 intensity ratio, reflecting mass transfer to thin filaments during contraction. The apparent lattice volume was 3.42 x 10(-3) microm(3), which is smaller than that of mammalian striated muscle and more similar to that of frog muscles. The relation between force and stimulation frequency showed fusion of responses at a comparatively high frequency (approximately 186 Hz), reflecting a fast muscle phenotype. Inhibition of fast myosin with N-benzyl-p-toluene sulphonamide (BTS) showed that the later phase of the tetanus was less affected than the initial peak. This suggests that, although the main contractile phenotype is fast, slow twitch fibers can contribute to sustained contraction. A fatigue stimulation protocol with repeated 220 ms/186 Hz tetani showed that tetanic force decreased to 50% at a train rate of 0.1 s(-1). In conclusion, zebrafish larvae muscles can be examined in vitro using mechanical and x-ray methods. The muscles and myofilaments are mainly orientated in parallel with the larvae long axis and exhibit a significant fast contractile component. Sustained contractions can also involve a small contribution from slower muscle types.

Endogenous dopamine suppresses initiation of swimming in prefeeding zebrafish larvae

Dopamine is a key neuromodulator of locomotory circuits, yet the role that dopamine plays during development of these circuits is less well understood. Here, we describe a suppressive effect of dopamine on swim circuits in larval zebrafish. Zebrafish larvae exhibit marked changes in swimming behavior between 3 days postfertilization (dpf) and 5dpf. We found that swim episodes were fewer and of longer durations at 3 than at 5dpf. At 3dpf, application of dopamine as well as bupropion, a dopamine reuptake blocker, abolished spontaneous fictive swim episodes. Blocking D2 receptors increased frequency of occurrence of episodes and activation of adenylyl cyclase, a downstream target inhibited by D2-receptor signaling, blocked the inhibitory effect of dopamine. Dopamine had no effect on motor neuron firing properties, input impedance, resting membrane potential, or the amplitude of spike afterhyperpolarization. Application of dopamine either to the isolated spinal cord or locally within the cord does not decrease episode frequency, whereas dopamine application to the brain silences episodes, suggesting a supraspinal locus of dopaminergic action. Treating larvae with 10 microM MPTP reduced catecholaminergic innervation in the brain and increased episode frequency. These data indicate that dopamine inhibits the initiation of fictive swimming episodes at 3dpf. We found that at 5dpf, exogenously applied dopamine inhibits swim episodes, yet the dopamine reuptake blocker or the D2-receptor antagonist have no effect on episode frequency. These results led us to propose that endogenous dopamine release transiently suppresses swim circuits in developing zebrafish.

Zebrafish: An in vivo model for the study of neurological diseases

As the population ages, there is a growing need for effective therapies for the treatment of neurological diseases. A limited number of therapeutics are currently available to improve cognitive function and research is limited by the need for in vivo models. Zebrafish have recently become a focus of neurobehavioral studies since larvae display neuropathological and behavioral phenotypes that are quantifiable and relate to those seen in man. Due to the small size of Zebrafish larvae, assays can be undertaken in 96 well plates and as the larvae can live in as little as 200 mul of fluid, only a few milligrams of compound are needed for screening. Thus in vivo analysis of the effects of compounds can be undertaken at much earlier stages in the drug discovery process. This review will look at the utility of the zebrafish in the study of neurological diseases and its role in improving the throughput of candidate compounds in in vivo screens.

Locomotor Pattern in the Adult Zebrafish Spinal Cord In Vitro

The zebrafish is an attractive model system for studying the function of the spinal locomotor network by combining electrophysiological, imaging, and genetic approaches. Thus far, most studies have been focusing on embryonic and larval stages. In this study we have developed an in vitro preparation of the isolated spinal cord from adult zebrafish in which locomotor activity can be induced while the activity of single neurons can be monitored using whole cell recording techniques. Application of NMDA elicited rhythmic locomotor activity that was monitored by recording from muscles or ventral roots in semi-intact or isolated spinal cord preparations, respectively. This rhythmic activity displayed a left–right alternation and a rostrocaudal delay. Blockade of glycinergic synaptic transmission by strychnine switched the alternating activity into synchronous bursting in the left and right sides as well as along the rostrocaudal axis. Whole cell recordings from motoneurons showed that they receive phasic synaptic inputs that were correlated with the locomotor activity recorded in ventral roots. This newly developed in vitro preparation of the adult zebrafish spinal cord will allow examination of the organization of the spinal locomotor network in an adult system to complement studies in zebrafish larvae and new born rodents.